No weekly improvement in sex ratio in 6 districts

State Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department, Sudhir Rajpal, while chairing the weekly meeting of the State Task Force constituted to improve the sex ratio, directed for calling for explanation of Chief Medical Officers of Ambala, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Karnal, Sirsa, and Palwal, where the desired improvement in the ratio has not been achieved over the past week.

The state has registered progress over the past year. The ratio, which stood at 901 on August 31 last year, has risen to 907 this year.

Rajpal directed AYUSH doctors to remain vigilant in four nearby villages under their jurisdiction to ensure that no pregnant woman, who had crossed 12 weeks of pregnancy, underwent an illegal abortion.

He directed the officers to monitor MTP (medical termination of pregnancy) centres and wholesalers selling MTP kits. If any irregularity was detected, a complaint must be lodged with the police, he said.

He was informed that two ASHA workers had been dismissed for failing to perform their duties. In one case from Sonepat, the husband of an ASHA worker was found selling MTP kits brought from Delhi. After receiving complaints, cases were filed against both, and they were arrested.

In Panchkula, a pregnant woman — a mother of three daughters — died due to negligence, as the ASHA worker failed to monitor her condition properly. Consequently, her services were terminated.